Carlos Alazraqui Movies
- 2001
Curiously, the "origins" episode of The Fairly OddParents, which shared its half-hour time slot with a brace of other short segments (including "Too Many Timmys" and "The Fairy Flu,") was not originally telecast as the series opener, but instead popped up when the show was eight weeks into its first season! The series' "official" premiere offering consisted of two brief stories: "The Big Problem," in which ten-year-old Timmy Turner prevails upon his zany fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, to transform him into a grownup (with the expected disastrous results); and "Power Mad," wherein Timmy is given a harrowing up-close-and-personal view of his favorite virtual-reality game. Other season one segments include: "Spaced Out," in which Timmy is given a rather unhospitable space alien to play with; "TransParents," the first episode wherein Timmy's hostile teacher Mr. Crocker tumbles to the fairy godparents' existence; "Tiny Timmy," a Fantastic Voyage spoof with Timmy as the shrink-ee; and "Father Time," in which Timmy's foray into the past nearly messes up his chances of ever being born. Wanda and Cosmo are the focus of "Apartnership," which details a serious schism in their long marriage; and "The Zappy," a broad takeoff of glitzy TV awards ceremonies. Also: Timmy's favorite comic book superhero the Crimson Chin (voiced by Jay Leno) suffers a profound loss of self-confidence in "Chin Up!"; Timmy is converted into a canine in "Dog's Day Afternoon"; a world in which everyone looks, acts and thinks alike is conjured up by the godparents in "The Same Game"; and Cosmo strolls over to the Dark Side in "Really Bad Day." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tara Strong, Daran Norris, (more)
- 2001
Most of the 16 episodes seen in season two of The Fairly OddParents consist of two short segments per half hour. This year's exceptions include the Yuletide special "Christmas Every Day" (originally telecast a few months before the season proper began in March of 2002) and the Halloween outing "Scary Godparents." Among the misadventures experienced by ten-year-old Timmy Turner and his eccentric wish-granting fairy godparents Wanda and Cosmo are: "Boys in the Band," in which Timmy's terrifying babysitter Vicky kidnaps pop star Chip Skylark (voiced by *NSYNC's Chris Kirkpatrick); "Boy Toy," which finds Timmy collaborating with his "Crimson Chin" action figure to foil Vicky's equally odious kid sister Tootie; "Action Packed," the episode that asks the question, "What if real life were one long action movie?"; "Timvisible," in which Timmy is rendered invisible to avoid Francis the Bully -- and nearly loses out on a much-coveted school award as a result; and "That Old Black Magic," pitting Wanda and Cosmo against the dreaded Anti-Fairies who erect the Fountain of Bad Luck on Friday the 13th. Other second season highlights: Timmy is turned into a fairy and Cosmo and Wanda are rendered "normal" in "A Mile in My Shoes; Timmy's parents morph into superheroes in "Mighty Mom and Dyno Dad"; our hero stands in for an ailing John Hancock at the 1776 Declaration signing in "Twistory"; April Fool, Fairyworld's leading standup comic ("What's up with that??"), wreaks havoc in the real world in "Fool's Day Out"; vapid boy-band singer Chip Skylark meets his match in equally airheaded Skip Sparkypants in "Shiny Teeth"; Wanda goes the Ferris Bueller route in "Wanda's Day Out"; and the series' familiar characters assume new roles in the old frontier in "Odd, Odd West." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tara Strong, Daran Norris, (more)
- 2001
Brian (voice of Seth MacFarlane) tells his shrink that nothing thrills him anymore. He's watched the Behind the Music with Leif Garrett so many times that he's memorized it. It's suggested that Brian needs to think about the needs of others for a change; his shrink recommends volunteer work. He takes a blind man to a movie and describes it to him (clearly, the film is The Blair Witch Project -- "Nothing's happening...something about a map...nothing's happening...it's over.") and plays checkers with an old woman. The volunteer work doesn't go too well. But things take a happier turn when Joe (voice of Patrick Warburton) suggests Brian put his talented nose to work for the police. Brian can smell cocaine a mile away, and is soon touring schools as "McGriffin, the Drug Dog." But he soon discovers he has more than a professional interest in the substance. Meanwhile, at the company picnic, Peter (MacFarlane) wins a week's paid vacation. But the Griffins put off their trip to the Bahamas to support Brian as he goes into rehab. Peter is so impressed with the well-appointed Providence Rehab Center ("This is where God would come if he had to stop doing blow!") that he decides to spend his vacation there, posing as a heroin addict. He's a bad influence, luring Brian out of group therapy so they can spy on the pregnant teens across the lake. Brian's therapist at the center tells him that he'll never recover unless he gets away from Peter's negative influence. Brian decides he does need some time away, and takes off for parts unknown. This episode was the first of two parts, concluding with "Brian Does Hollywood." ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
